Clinic Information

The psychology clinic is an independent mental health facility operated by the Department of Psychology clinical training program in the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University. The primary function of the psychology clinic is to provide doctoral students with opportunities for practicum and specialized training in clinical and research skills. The clinic also functions as a provider of psychological services to the University and the general community.

Services

The psychology clinic is a general outpatient facility designed to provide a wide range of assessment and treatment services to infants, children, adolescents and adults. If it is determined that the nature of the client's problem is not appropriate for services offered at the clinic, referrals are made to appropriate agencies in the community.

AssessmentPsychological assessments are conducted for a variety of purposes, including disability evaluations, guardianship determination and neuropsychological evaluations. Evaluations are also conducted to aid in educational and institutional decisions.

Treatment
Individual, couple and family therapy are provided at the clinic. Groups may be formed periodically for specific purposes such as stress management, parent training, couples communication training, and assertiveness training.

Examples of infant and child problems typically seen at the clinic include behavioral, school-related, social and emotional issues, eating disorders and parent training.

The staff

The clinic is staffed by doctoral level graduate students in clinical psychology under direct supervision of licensed clinical psychologists. All student therapists have had training in assessment and therapy and receive individual and group supervision during their work in the clinic.

Confidentiality

Everything discussed in the clinic is regarded as confidential information. This means that the therapist and supervising psychologist are bound to confidentiality and cannot discuss the client's case with anyone outside the clinic such as a doctor, without prior written consent of the client. Confidentiality may only be breached when a client indicates a potential for harm to themselves or to others, or if the information was court ordered.

Location

Hours of operation

The psychology clinic is open throughout the entire year. Day and evening sessions are available by appointment. The clinic is closed on University holidays and whenever classes are not in session.

Appointments

An initial session is scheduled with the prospective client for about 30 to 45 minutes. This is called an intake appointment. This appointment serves to inform the client of the procedures of the clinic and also to obtain more information regarding the client's specific concern.

Wait list
Because of the training nature of the clinic, the wait list is not on a first-come, first-served basis. Guarantees are not offered as to when your case will be assigned to a therapist. However, you will be kept informed of your status on the waiting list. We make every effort to serve as many as we can.

Sessions
Clients and their therapists determine the number of sessions and how often. Generally, sessions are 45-50 minutes in length. Payment is expected at the end of each session. Current fees are $20 per session. Fee revisions are made based on demonstration of need. Please be sure to bring the exact amount or a check with you to your appointment, as we cannot make change. If you have scheduled an appointment and need to cancel, please do so 24 hours in advance so that your account is not charged for the session not held.

InsuranceThe psychology clinic does not accept insurance or Medicaid. Clients are expected to pay for each session. They may request reimbursement through an insurance company. At the end of each month, if requested, clients are sent a billing statement which then can be submitted to an insurance company. Due to the confidentiality policy, we can provide information to an insurance company only with written permission.